As Nottingham Forest prepares for this weekend’s matchup with Ipswich Town, head coach Nuno Espirito Santo has some important choices to make and some pressing concerns to resolve.

The Reds have given up three goals each against Newcastle United and Arsenal before the international break, and they have given up six goals in their previous two games. When he addressed the media following his team’s 3-0 loss to the Gunners, Nuno said that he was “worried” about this statistic, in part because defensive consistency had been a defining characteristic of the first few weeks of the season.

When the visitors returned to action at the Emirates Stadium following a two-week break, they failed to record a single effort on goal, which further infuriated the Portuguese. Nuno also stated that Forest had “come up short” in the area of attack.

The Reds’ goal when the Tractor Boys visit the City Ground on Saturday (3pm kickoff) is to return to what they were previously doing so successfully, at both ends of the pitch. It also has the potential to be a significant game.

 

Trentside shouldn’t be alarmed by consecutive losses, especially as Nuno’s team is now ranked seventh in the league. However, it would be appropriate to return to winning ways as they have a difficult doubleheader away to the Manchester teams coming up next week.

Nuno will be keeping an eye on the health of a few key players for the match. Anthony Elanga was substituted at halftime due to a shoulder injury, and Morgan Gibbs-White and Elliot Anderson were not included in the team for the match in the capital.

After being treated on the pitch, the latter had continued at first, but at the half, he made way. He was scheduled for a scan to determine the problem. Nuno stated after the game that he hoped Anderson and Gibbs-White would be available to play against Ipswich, but he acknowledged that Anderson was the player who was closest to being healthy.

Forest would greatly benefit from the return of either Gibson-White, Anderson, or both, as the club lacked originality against the Gunners. However, if there is even the smallest uncertainty over their condition, Nuno may be unwilling to risk both on Saturday.

Jota Silva might be in position for his first Premier League debut if there is any doubt over Elanga. Nuno mentioned the energy the Portuguese gave when he took Elanga’s place for the second half last weekend, and he has perhaps done enough in his cameo outings to suggest he is worth consideration nevertheless.

 

If a change is also made in advance, it won’t be shocking.Chris Wood, who travelled halfway around the world while on duty for New Zealand, was benched against Arsenal.When given a rare start, Taiwo Awoniyi performed admirably, but it is unlikely that he will have passed top scorer Wood in the hierarchy.

Nuno might think about changing things up in midfield somewhere.James Ward-Prowse had a rough afternoon after being summoned back into the starting lineup at the Emirates. When Ipswich visits, it might be time to go back to what was successful in the past with Ryan Yates and Nicolas Dominguez’s partnership.

Yates, Dominguez; Jota, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Moreno; Sels; Forest predicted XI